Black Market (Weather Report Album)

Black Market
Weather Report studio album
Publication (s)	1976
Label (s)	Columbia Records
Format (s)	CD, LP
Genre (s)	Jazz rock
Title (number)	7th
running time	36:55
occupation	Keyboards : Joe Zawinul Tenor saxophone : Wayne Shorter E-bass : Jaco Pastorius (A2, B3), Alphonso Johnson (A1, A3, B1, B2, B4) Drums : Chester Thompson (A1, A3, B1-B4), Narada Michael Walden (A1, A2) Percussion : Alex Acuña (A2, A3, B1, B2, B4), Don Alias (A1 / B3)
production	Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter
Studio (s)	Devonshire Sound Studios in Hollywood , California
chronology Tale Spinnin ' (1975) Black Market Heavy Weather (1977)

Black Market is Weather Report's sixth album, released in 1976. It was recorded from December 1975 through January 1976 and released in April 1976.

History of origin

After a year on tour, Weather Report hit the studio in December 1975. The album is based on African influences and its style can be described as world fusion .

After Alphonso Johnson announced he was leaving the band, Jaco Pastorius , who plays on two tracks , was contacted.

The title Cannon Ball is Zawinul's homage to his former bandleader Julian Adderley, who died in 1975 .

Wayne Shorter said in March 1976, shortly before the album was released:

“Everything on Black Market has been done with great care. There were no more one-day recording sessions. Making a record has become almost as complicated as making a movie. On the other hand, I don't think it means losing spontaneity. We have learned to separate things. Spontaneity can be regained. It is possible to control them. Just because you get into the music doesn't mean you lose the tension. However, while some people complain that they lost spontaneity in the last moment, they lose spontaneity in the next moment. "

- Wayne Shorter

Track list

page A

1. Black Market (J. Zawinul) - 6.28
2. Cannon Ball (J. Zawinul) - 4.36
3. Gibraltar (J. Zawinul) - 8.16

Side B

1. Elegant People (W. Shorter) - 5.03
2. Three Clowns (W. Shorter) - 3.31
3. Barbary Coast (J. Pastorius) - 3.19
4. Herandnu (A. Johnson) - 6.36

Musician

• Joe Zawinul - Yamaha Grand Piano, Fender Rhodes Piano, Arp 2600 Synthesizer, Oberheim Polyphonic Synthesizer
• Wayne Shorter - soprano and tenor saxophone

First recording session: A3 - B1 - B2 - B4

• Electric bass - Alphonso Johnson
• Drums - Chester Thompson
• Percussion, congas - Alex Acuña

Second recording session: A1 - A2 - B3

• Electric bass A1 - Alphonso Johnson
• E-bass A2 / B3 - Jaco Pastorius
• Drums A1 / A2 - Narada Michael Walden
• Drums A1 / B3 - Chester Thompson
• Percussion, Congas A1 / B3 - Don Alias
• Percussion, Congas A2 - Alex Acuña

reception

Professional reviews
source	rating
Downbeat
Allmusic

Ray Townley gave the album, which for him was both "the culmination of a certain period of the band" and a "new, radical departure", the top grade in the down beat .

All about Jazz rated the album positively, as did Allmusic :

“Another important turning point in the colorful development of Weather Report. ... a must have. "

- Todd Jenkins

Alan Leeds wrote in his liner notes for the 2002 Weather Report compilation Live & Unreleased : "When asked which song best represented Weather Report for him, Zawinul immediately replied: Black Market ."

Web links

• Weather Report: Annotated Discography: Black Market (Engl.)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Andrews, Colman: Black Market, Wayne Shorter & Weather Report # 6, Phonograph Record Magazine, April 1976, pp. 50-51.
2. ^ According to Weather Report Annotated Discography: Black Market
3. ↑ All About Jazz 2002
4. ^ Alan Leeds: Weather Report Live & Unreleased Liner Notes, June 2002